NCIS Christmas Reindeer Rescue
by VictoriaBard
Summary: A Christmas story featuring Abby, Ziva, Tony and Tim as kids but also the reindeer Dasher.


_Title: NCIS Christmas Reindeer Rescue_

_Disclaimer: I don't own the characters on NCIS, I'm just borrowing them for the story. _

_Author's Notes: **Merry Christmas and Happy New Year** to you! I meant to post this story before Christmas but unfortunately it took me a little longer than I had planned to finish it, even though it's a short one. I hope you like it though. I felt I really needed to write something that would put me in the Christmas mood this year and writing this did just that. _

_**Please note** that this story is connected to my other story "Once upon a Summertime" where Tony, Ziva, Abby and Tim are kids and spending their summer with Agents Gibbs and Jenny at their house. In this story it's Christmas Eve and I don't really give an explanation as to how the kids can be in D.C during Christmas as well but I didn't feel it was really necessary to give one. Please feel free to use your imagination with this one._

* * *

**NCIS Christmas Reindeer Rescue**

"Abby, what are you doing?" Ziva David hissed at the seven year old wearing her thickest red wool coat, hat and mittens. " Are you crazy?"

Abby let her hand slide from the window handle and turned her head. "I'm not crazy. I told you, I'm going out to help Santa." Without further explanation she continued to fully open the window all the way. A cold gust made her shiver and some snow from the roof outside swept inside the girls' dimly lit room.

Abby threw her legs over the edge and her boots hit the snow covered roof outside. In the corner of her eye she saw Ziva disappear into the corridor outside their room. She wouldn't get Gibbs or Jen, would she? No, Ziva wouldn't do that. Abby would get in trouble if they found out she was sneaking out in the middle of the night on Christmas Eve. But she didn't have a choice. She had to help Santa.

Abby padded through the snow over to the edge and stood there looking out over the snow covered back yard. She could see some of Pine road too and it looked so beautiful with the snow slowly falling from the sky to the ground. It had been snowing for the past two days now but not in that blizzard way it sometimes did, but more in that peaceful holiday spirit way that she loved so much. The snowflakes seemed to be falling in slow motion. A whisper interrupted her.

"Abby!"

She turned around and saw Tony hanging out the window, wearing his pajamas and a tired expression.

"Yes."

"Get back in here. NOW. What are you doing out there?" he asked.

So Ziva had gone to get Tony to try and get him to talk her back inside, Abby realized. It wasn't going to work though. Then she saw Timmy too, kneeling on the window seat behind Tony.

"Like I told Ziva, I'm going to help Santa."

Tony gave Abby a tired look. "Abs, please, come on. How are you gonna help him exactly?"

Abby's knees hit the snow as she knelt down, getting ready to climb her way down using the trellis.

"You know I went to the zoo today with Ducky and Mrs. Mallard?"

Tony nodded.

"When I was off by myself I saw a reindeer being forced to drag this slay around the zoo. It was a ride people could pay money to take their kids on. And this grumpy man with a sooty face wearing a beret was leading him along using a rope around his neck. The reindeer had such sad, sad eyes..."

"Abby, please tell us you did not do something to that reindeer," Ziva begged.

"No, he's still trapped at the zoo," Abby explained. "But I met this boy, Lucas, who works at the zoo. He told me that the reindeer was in trouble. He said he's not from the zoo and that he used to live in freedom but was captured last week and brought to the zoo. If he's not released then Santa can't deliver all the Christmas presents to the children. It takes all nine reindeer for Santa's slay to fly."

Ziva and Timmy had poked their heads out next to Tony's now. Abby dangled her legs over the edge while telling them. No one spoke. Tond and Ziva exchanged glances with eyebrows slightly raised and Timmy jotted his famous lower lip out the way he did when he was worried or nervous. Abby raised a brow at their confused faces.

"He's one of Santa's reindeer?" Tim finally asked.

Abby nodded her head with a smile. "Of course."

"Abby, you mean you are sneaking out to release a reindeer at the zoo?" Ziva asked.

"Yes. Lucas told me he'd meet me at the zoo tonight. He asked me to help save him. The reindeer is tied up at this mini island surrounded by a moat. There is a little bridge that leads to it but it's sealed off. If you want to help you can come but then you have to hurry up and get your coats and stuff. I have to catch the bus to the zoo."

"Abby, we are NOT going to the zoo!" Tony raised his voice but then worriedly glanced behind him at the closed door. Lowering his voice again he said with determination and finality. "We can't. So climb back inside now. There is just no freaking way that we're going to be on that bus. And neither are you. That is final."

_**Twenty minutes later on the bus**_

Abby grinned at her two sulking friends seated on the opposite seats from her. Neither Tony nor Ziva looked very happy. She and Timmy shared a seat and were both swinging their legs back and forth. It was just the four of them on the bus and one very old man with a cane and a coat so long that it reached his ankles. He was seated two seats in front of them. And then there was the driver of course, happily whistling Jingle Bells while he drove the bus.

"You kids getting off here?" the bus driver asked, surprised as they got ready to step off the bus.

Tony sighed audibly and took Abby's hand. "Yes, Sir. I guess we are."

They stepped off the bus and watched it drive away down the empty street. No one was out at this hour. But then again that wasn't so strange in this area. The zoo stood kind of alone in a part of town that didn't have a lot of houses people lived in. And the some woods were pretty close behind it.

It had stopped snowing as they marched towards the gate to the zoo. There was no wind and all they could hear was the snow making that familiar squeaking sound underneath their boots as they walked.

"There it is!" said Tim and ran the last of the short distance to the gate. He fingered the big lock. "It's locked."

"Of course it is locked," Ziva said. "You do not think they would just let anyone inside at night, do you?" she reached into her pocket." Do not worry. I grabbed this before I headed out the window." she pulled out a thin metal piece with a curved end. It didn't take her longer than three minutes before the lock had fallen to the snow covered ground with a soft thud. "There. Kabra Dedabra." She said, brushing her hands together.

"Abra Kedabra," Tony corrected her.

Ziva waved her hand in the air. "Yes, yes. What now?" she asked. " I cannot believe you talked us into doing this, Abby."

"Now we find the reindeer," said Abby.

Tony pushed the heavy gate open with a clang as it stopped. They all took some hesitant steps inside while glancing worriedly from side to side. They didn't see any guards or zoo personnel so they continued on inside the big perimeter. Abby remembered that they should take a right at the first crossing with green signs pointing in different directions. They walked on a dark, empty trail that lead past a big fence with some woods behind it. Suddenly Tim whispered something so quiet no one could understand him.

"What?" Ziva asked in a much louder voice than Tim used.

Tim glanced worriedly towards the trees behind the fence. "I thought I saw something in there," he whispered.

The others stopped and turned their attention into the woods.

"I don't see a thing. Stop imagining stuff, Tim," Tony said and started walking again. Ziva and Abby continued on as well but when Abby turned to see where Tim was she saw him still standing there looking into the trees. She looked at the trees too and now she saw seven sets of yellow, glowing eyes staring back at her. A second later a long howl was heard and Tim's screech almost drowned it. In another second he had moved from his spot far behind them and was now clutching Ziva's arm.

Ziva almost lost her balance when he flew at her but regained it and put her hand over his two shaking hands. "Take it easy, Timmy."she squinted her eyes in the dark.

"What was that?" Abby asked.

"Wolves," Ziva said and pointed at the trees. "In there. But do not worry, Tim. They cannot get out." She looked a head at the quiet trail. "Come on, let's keep moving."

They turned left at the next crossing with signs, towards the elephant house. When passing the monkey home screeches and banging on bars could be heard from inside the little house.

"Abby, you sure you know where this island with the reindeer is?" Tony asked.

"Sure I do," she said with a perky voice and her head held high. "It's just behind that log house over there." She pointed ahead. "Last one there is a rotten egg!" she yelled and ran.

Tony and Ziva took off fast and were both ahead of Abby in no time.

"Hey, wait for me!" Tim called out after them.

Tim caught up and the four of them stood, staring at the little island with the moat circling it. Out there stood one lonely reindeer. If they hadn't already known it was alive they would have thought it was a stuffed reindeer because of how still it was.

"So, the plan is to get out to that little island and free the reindeer," Tony said with some hesitation in his voice.

"Uh huh," Abby said with a nod. "We have to let him out so he can return to Santa and save Christmas for all the kids in the world." She paused. "And us too. I've wished for a doll," she added.

Having said that Abby trudged over to the bridge. It was sealed off at the end with four giant pointy poles attached to its edge and pointing straight out , keeping the reindeer from stepping onto the bridge.

Tim stood next to Abby. "How are we going to get him out?" he asked, worriedly.

"Can we get rid of those?" Abby pointed at the poles sticking out.

Tony approached the bridge and carefully stepped onto it. It was a little slippery but he managed fine with getting over to where the poles began.

"They seem to be attached to the bridge and can probably be taken off some way. I mean, they must be taking him out of there somehow when it's time for him to pull that slay for the kids at the zoo."

"Look! The water is frozen down there," said Tim, enthusiastic. "We can get across to him."

Ziva stood by the edge, "Yes, but we will never be able to get him down to the ice from up there. It's too steep for him and I doubt he will agree to that."

Abby felt the blood in her veins freeze in fear for a moment when heavy footsteps were heard from behind them. Before she had a chance to turn she heard it.

"HEY! What are you doing here?!"

She spun around on the spot and so did the others, looking from a distance at the man Abby had described earlier. He was standing by the door to the log house like he had just come out of there. The man with the beret and sooty face who walked the reindeer in front of the slay. He had one hand on his slender hip, looking suspiciously at them.

Tony found his voice first. "RUN!" he yelled and quickly took one big stride and then jumped the rest of the way off the bridge and landed on the ground next to Ziva. Ziva grabbed Tim's hand and Tony Abby's and they all took off as fast as they could. Abby felt herself being forced to move at a faster pace than she normally could have on her own and she almost stumbled.

The beret wearing man hadn't yet gotten his boots on so they had time to run past him and duck behind the log house. He had probably been a sleep in there and heard their voices. Abby was starting to wonder where the boy Lucas was. He had said he would meet her at the zoo and help her rescue the reindeer but he was nowhere to be seen. What if he had lied to her? What if this was a trap?

They all huddled around back of the house, listening for him.

"What are we going to do?" Tim asked.

"Hush," Ziva said and put a finger to her mouth. She looked out around the corner and Abby, Tim and Tony leaned out from behind her. It was a mistake because the man then took the opportunity to surprise them by appearing behind them instead.

Abby was the one who turned first at the sound of his angry voice. "Who are you and what are you doing here?"

Ziva gasped and Tony yanked Abby back a step. They had their backs against the back door to the house. His face was as sooty as it had been earlier that day but with the white snow as contrast it looked even dirtier than before. His small angry eyes studied their faces intently and suddenly he roared at them. "Get inside!" making them all jump at the sudden raise of his voice. "I'm calling the police."

They all stumbled backwards inside the house. "Well, at least he's not gonna eat us," Tim whispered to the others. Tony's glare back at Tim said that he thought that was a silly thing to fear and that there were other things they should be worried about right now. This man could be dangerous. And being arrested wasn't high on their list of Christmas wishes either. Behind the door was a set of stairs leading up to a second floor. He told them to get upstairs and then locked the door behind them. Upstairs he put the key on a table next to an open window. It was clear that he lived there because the second floor was all furnished. The man grabbed his phone first thing when he got upstairs and started dialing a number. He quickly realized that there was a problem with his phone though and started banging it against the wall with frustration.

"Sorry, Abs," said Tony. "But it looks like that reindeer isn't going to be set free after all."

Abby realized that too and she let a tear slide down her cheek. "I know. Christmas is ruined. Santa won't fly and that poor lonely reindeer will be a prisoner forever," she sniffled sadly.

Tony and Ziva exchanged glances and then Tony sighed. "Abby…and perhaps also Tim," he said with a frown in Tim's direction." We didn't want to tell you this but…there is no Santa Claus."

Abby stared at them both, stunned. "What do you mean? Of course there is."

"No, Abby," said Ziva. "He is not real. Tony is right. Santa is made up."

"Then why did you agree to help if you don't believe in him?" Abby asked with unshed tears in her big brown eyes.

"Because we wanted you guys to keep believing in him, I guess," Tony said with a shrug.

Abby couldn't believe her ears. Santa not real? He had to be real. Her mom and dad had told her he was real. Would they lie? Would Gibbs and Jenny lie? She cast a look over at the table and noticed that the key was suddenly gone. But the man was still busy trying to get the phone working and hadn't moved. They could hear him muttering words like "stolen reindeer" and "nosy kids".

"Did you hear that?" Ziva asked. They all heard a scraping sound now and looked over at the area it had come from. The window. Someone was slowly and quietly pushing it open all the way. A face appeared and it was Lucas' face. The little red haired boy with freckles that Abby had been waiting for. She wiped the tears away. This battle wasn't lost yet, she thought. Lucas waved at them and they slowly started to move towards the window. The man was so wrapped up in his conversation he didn't even notice them being on the move.

"Hi, Lucas," Abby greeted him in a very hushed voice.

"Hello everyone. Climb out the window. I have the key and the door is locked from the inside so he won't be able to get out."

Suddenly he disappeared down. As they looked outside they saw he was on a very tall ladder. Tony climbed out first with haste. Abby soon followed. It was really high but she tried not to think about that. Timmy came after her and she was surprised he didn't say anything about how high it was. Ziva was the last one and as she was halfway down they heard him curse up there and suddenly he appeared in the window opening.

"Get back here, you little brats! I'm gonna get you!"

Ziva jumped the rest of the way and tumbled to the ground. Lucas toppled the ladder over so the beret wearing man couldn't follow.

"Give me back my key!"he yelled and shook his fist at them.

"Let's go save Dasher!" said Lucas and took the lead towards the island.

They all giggled hysterically as they ran off sending the snow whirling around their legs.

"I knew you'd come, Lucas!" Abby yelled as she tried to keep up with the others. Lucas was about Ziva's age and pretty fast. Not as fast as Tony though.

Soon they had reached the island again and the reindeer who had noticed their presence now stood by the edge gazing calmly at them while munching some hay.

Lucas turned with a serious expression on his face. "I'd like to thank you all for coming to help Dasher. He really needs all the help he can get. And Santa too."

"I'd really like to thank" Tony mimicked quietly in Ziva's ear but loud enough for Abby to hear. "How old is this guy talking like that? He sounds at least thirty. And isn't he a bit old for still believing in Santa?" he frowned and glowered suspiciously at Lucas.

"It's Dasher? Not Rudolph?" Tim asked Lucas.

Lucas offered a warm smile. "Do you see a red nose? No? Then it can't be Rudolph."

Timmy nodded that he understood.

"Dasher is quite heavy and he won't cross the ice," Lucas told them. "We need something that will work as a bridge so he can walk across."

Tony's eyebrows flew up. "Quick! I saw a really big and heavy board back at the second crossing. We can carry it together."

It took Lucas, Tony and Ziva together to carry the big board all the way to the little island. By the time they came back Abby and Timmy had already walked across the ice to the reindeer and were making friends with him. Dasher was a very friendly reindeer who liked kids. He looked a little sleepy and appeared a little lazy, and he repeatedly nudged the kids' stomachs with his nose to get them to keep scratching him behind his ears and between his horns. In the distance they could hear the beret wearing man yelling something out the window.

"We have to hurry now," said Abby and Tim agreed.

The others lowered the board down on the other side of the moat in the snow and Tony started to push it out while Lucas and Ziva kept it steady. Abby and Tim grabbed it when it reached their side and pulled it in.

"When we get him across there is a back gate in the fence over there." Lucas pointed behind the island. "We need to let him out that way. "

"Then what?" asked Ziva.

"Then he will find Santa…or wise versa.," Lucas said.

"What?!" Tony burst out. "That's the plan we have?"

Ziva tried to calm him. "Forget about Santa not being real now, Tony. Let's get this done before that man finds a way out."

Tony shrugged. "Fine." He gave the board an extra little shove into place and stood up. "Get him to walk across now," he said to Abby and Timmy.

Abby bent forward so she was face to face with Dasher and lowered her voice. "This is it, Dasher. We're going to get you out of here now. So come on and follow us across the board."

"Abby, look!" Tim pointed at one of Dasher's back legs. "He's chained up to that post over there."

Abby took a step to her right and saw the post with the chain attached to it. "Ziva! He's stuck! Come and help!"

Ziva hurried and crossed the board to the island. "Where?"

"Over here!" Tim called out and Ziva rushed over and crouched next to Tim. She pulled the chain and when it didn't budge she pulled out her metal piece with the curved end again and got to work on the lock that kept the chain around Dasher's leg. "Hurry, Ziva. I don't hear that man anymore." Tim said in a trembling voice.

"I am trying," she said with a grunt. "This lock is trickier than the one before."

They heard a click as the lock opened and Abby quickly jumped to her feet. She took hold of Dasher's collar and started leading him across the board. The little bells on his colorful collar chimed as he trotted. He made it over in a slow pace, with Ziva walking in front of him and Abby and Tim behind. When they reached solid ground again Tony and Lucas both greeted Dasher with some pats to his head and furry body. He happily moved his little tail up and down and chewed on some hay he had brought with him in his mouth.

"Now, let's head for that gate!" Lucas said, leading the way. "Come on, Dasher. Come on, boy. We're leaving here now."

They reached the gate, which was smaller and looked kind of hidden up behind the island among bushes covered with heavy snow and some trees.

"It should be open," said Lucas anxiously. "Unless someone's locked it now." He pulled on the handle and it opened. They all sighed with relief. Tony, Ziva and Tim exited first and Lucas walked backwards with some hay in his hand, waving it in front of Dasher. Abby held onto Dasher's collar.

"Not so fast!" Abby felt a hand on her shoulder and someone pull her back. The beret wearing man stood there, and he quickly slammed the door shut, leaving all the kids except Abby on the outside of the zoo, unable to get back inside.

"Abby!" they all yelled and pulled at the iron bars and the handle.

"It can't be opened from the outside," Ziva said in a panicking voice.

Abby stared into the sooty face of the man. He looked real angry with them. She wasn't sure what he was going to do to her but she was sure he probably wasn't going to give her a cookie.

"Please, let me go," she pleaded and struggled in his hold.

"Shush, you're coming with me and so is that reindeer. " he grabbed the collar of Abby's red coat with one hand and Dasher's bell covered collar with the other and started to drag them away.

"Taking that reindeer wasn't legal and you know it, mister!" Lucas screamed from the other side of the high fence.

"Prove it," he dared them over his shoulder." The reindeer's staying. And the lot of you had better take off if you don't want to be handed over to the police like this one," he indicated Abby with a yank.

"Ow!" Abby cried out as he moved his hand to right above her elbow instead. Abby just couldn't let him take Dasher back to be chained up again. Not when they had been so close to saving Christmas. She opened her mouth wide and bit down on the man's hand. He let go of her arm right away as he hollered in pain.

"Run, Abby! Run!" she heard the others yell. But they were now so far away from the gate and the snow went up to her knees because her legs were so short. She'd never make it all the way to the gate before he caught her again.

"Run Dasher!" she urged the reindeer to save himself. "Hurry!"

But the reindeer didn't escape right away. Instead he turned and aimed his big teeth at the man's thigh. There he bit down hard and then, using his horns, shoved the man into the snow head first. Then he turned around and walked to Abby, stopping next to her.

"You want me to climb onto your back?" she asked with a grin. "Okay."

She climbed up and felt Dasher move fast for the first time. He rushed over to the gate and Abby reached out to unlock it and let them out. The snow was deep out there as well and Abby stayed on Dasher's back until they were all a safe distance away from the zoo. They had run up a hill and were now on top of it looking down at the zoo. Tony helped Abby off the reindeer's back who licked her face once with his rough tongue.

"I think that was a thank you," Lucas said. "He's free now." He glanced up at the sky. "Santa will be able to deliver the Christmas presents to all the children of the world thanks to the four of you. Thank you. Although I believe he's a bit off schedule but he will make it."

Tony sighed. "You actually believe in Santa?" he asked and crossed his arms across his chest.

"I sure do," Lucas said with a broad smile.

Tony didn't have time to comment on that before Dasher suddenly took off like a fire had been lit underneath him. "What the…Where is he going?"

Abby, Ziva, Tony and Tim all stood staring after the reindeer that had now disappeared among the trees. When there was no answer from Lucas they turned around but he wasn't there anymore.

"Where'd he go?" Tim asked with a gasp.

"I…I do not know," Ziva spun around several times trying to spot him. "He just disappeared."

"Who was that kid?" Tony asked with a puzzled look. "Abby?"

Abby looked stunned too. She had not expected Lucas to disappear. It was very strange.

"I only know he worked here at the zoo where I met him. I thought his dad worked here."

They all stood caught up in their own thoughts for a moment before Tony reminded them of something.

"We really should go home now. We've been out for hours and what if Jenny and Gibbs wake up and notice we're missing. They might get the whole NCIS force up and out looking for us."

Abby kicked a little at a snow drift. "Poor them," she said. "Having to get up on Christmas Eve."

Tony nodded."We'll go down the opposite direction from where we came so we don't run into that man."

Abby wiggled her toes in her boots. They were freezing. All ten of them. It would be nice to get into bed soon.

**An hour later on the roof **

Abby panted as she reached for Tony's hand and he helped her take the last step up to the roof of their house on Pineroad. They were going to sneak back in through the open window. They had managed to catch a bus back as well and even gotten the same bus driver. He had just looked at them and shook his head. Then he continued to whistle Jingle Bells all the way back to their bus stop.

Abby looked out over the back yard and street. The clouds had moved away and the sky was clear. She sighed. Everything was so peaceful. The bus ride home had gotten her warm again and now she just felt so calm. Ziva, Tony and Tim stood next to each other behind her admiring the back yard and neighbors roof tops glistening with heavy snow.

"Look at the moon," Ziva whispered. It was so big and the combination of red and intense yellow made it glow.

They all took a moment to just stand there and take it in.

"We saved Christmas," Abby whispered to herself with a grin.

"We should go inside," Tony said, lifting his leg to start climbing inside the window. "Merry Christmas, guys."

Abby, Tim and Ziva all turned and looked at Tony. He looked serious and Abby grinned back at him. Then she ran over to him and gave him a big hug while he was balancing on one leg with the other leg halfway through the window. Suddenly there was a SWOOOSH sound from high above their heads.

"Wow, what was that?!" Tim exclaimed.

Tony put both feet back into the snow and they all hurried over to the middle part of the roof. There they stood looking up into the sky but they couldn't spot anything. They could however hear bells ringing and some strange snorting. There was the SWOOSH sound again and they all spun around just in time to spot something that resembled a big wooden carriage much higher up in the air.

"Did you see that?" Ziva asked with her mouth open, staring up into the sky.

"Bells…red coat…reindeers…"Tony managed to get out of his mouth.

"Santa!" Abby hollered happily with a jump. "I knew it! I knew it!"

Four presents with beautiful red wrapping paper and green ribbons sailed through the air without warning and landed on the roof right next to the edge. They all looked at a loss for words at the Christmas presents laying there. Then they directed their gazes back up again.

They all remained gazing at the Christmas night sky until silence had replaced the sound of bells chiming, the stunned expressions had left their faces and they had all accepted what they had just seen. Exchanging secretive glances they picked up their presents and wished each other a Merry Christmas before climbing back in through the window. Christmas had arrived.

**The End**

_**MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR**_


End file.
